Stranger Things Have Happened
by Erin Salvatore
Summary: AU/AH. Third grade teacher Damon Salvatore thinks he's seen it all in Mystic Falls. That is, until he meets Elena Gilbert, the mother of his newest student, Evan, who has moved to town under mysterious circumstances.
1. Chapter 1

**Stranger Things Have Happened**

**by Erin Salvatore**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. **

_**Note: Okay, this story has simmering in my head for a while and I wanted to post it. It's a Delena AU/AH. The plot is this: Third grade teacher Damon Salvatore thinks he's seen everything in Mystic Falls. That is, until he meets Elena Gilbert, the mother of his newest student, Evan, who has moved to town under mysterious circumstances. **_

_**Don't ask how the idea came to me. It might be because my mind is kind of warped right now because I might be getting a cold. Anyway, just read along and enjoy the ride.**_

**Chapter 1**

_Salvatore Mansion, Mystic Falls, Virginia – Monday Morning..._

**D**amon Salvatore hummed to himself as he got the lunches prepared for his eight-year-old son, Damian, and his seventeen-year-old brother, Dante. It was routine Monday morning in the Salvatore household, especially during the school year. Damon taught third grade at Mystic Falls Elementary School, the same school that Damian attended. As for Dante, he was in his junior year at Mystic Falls High School, where he was the quarterback on the varsity football team and currently on the Honor Roll.

Although he couldn't possibly fathom raising both his youngest brother and his son on his own at thirty-three, Damon couldn't help but think just how lucky he was to have such great kids under his roof. He had gotten custody of them under different circumstances. He had gotten custody of Damian through a nasty divorce from his wife, Rose. Dante, on the other hand, was sort of inherited upon the death of the their parents, Guiseppe and Elisabetta. Damon had another brother, Stefan, who was twenty-seven and married to his college sweetheart, Rebekah Mikaelson.

Nevertheless, Damon loved both boys to death and couldn't imagine his life without them in it. He had also gotten used to getting comments about how Damian and Dante were more like brothers and uncle and nephew because of the difference in their ages. Whenever he heard it, Damon would just smile and take it with a grain of salt.

Once he had gotten the lunches ready, Damon looked up toward the ceiling and said, "Damian! Dante! Come on, guys, hustle! We don't want to be late!"

No sooner did they call to them than Damian and Dante appeared, all dressed and ready for school, earning them a nod and a smile from Damon. "Wow, that's a new record for you guys. I didn't have to yell a second time."

Dante smiled at his brother. "That's because something really amazing is going to happen today and I wanted to be on time for it."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Really now? And would this 'something amazing' be a girl? It's okay if it is because _I_ had plenty of girls flocking to me when _I _was in high school, _especially_ in my junior year. Then again, I suppose you can't help yourself, being a Salvatore and all."

"Oh, it's _definitely_ a girl," said Damian, answering the question for his uncle. "Her name is Melissa Drexler, and from what _I've_ heard, she's _really_ hot."

Dante playfully punched him in the arm. "Damian, I thought we agreed to keep that part a secret?"

"Well, he was going to find out eventually," said Damian. "No sense keeping it from him."

Damon shook his head. There was never a dull moment in this family, no doubt about it, and he had a feeling that the excitement would last right up until Damian was in high school, possibly even sooner than that.

"Melissa Drexler, huh? Have you asked her out yet?"

"No, but I intend to," said Dante. "See, she's in my History class and we sit in the same row, so I plan to ask her right before class starts. That way, I'll be anticipating our date the rest of the day. But, in the event I don't get to ask her before class, I'll wait until lunch time, because we sit at the same table in the cafeteria."

"Well, no matter what time of day you plan to ask her out, the most important thing is compliments," said Damon. "Girls love them. Pay a girl a compliment about her looks, whether it be her hair, her outfit, or even her eyes, and she'll be like putty in your hands."

Damian blinked. "And that _works_?"

"Don't worry, Damian, you'll understand when you're older," said Damon. "Now, how about we get our breakfast to go and get out of here?" He handed both boys their lunches. "Here, I've packed your lunches already so that you won't have to hurry to make them." He also handed them some money. "And, if you decide not to have what I packed, here's some money."

Damian and Dante took the money and pocketed it. Once that was done, the trio hurried out of the mansion. Dante had gotten his license over the summer, so he climbed into his brother's old blue Camaro while Damon and Damian took the new black Porsche.

_**Note: Here you go, another story by yours truly! I'll introduce Elena in the next chapter.**_

_**What do you guys think? Reviews are love!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing. Only the story is mine.**

_**Note: Wow, seven reviews, that's AWESOME! Just for that, I'm update "Stranger Things Have Happened." No spoilers, just follow along and see what I've got planned.**_

_Mystic Falls Elementary School – That Same Moment..._

**E**lena Gilbert sighed as she stepped out of her car, running a hand through her hair. She had just moved here to Mystic Falls nearly a week and a half ago, hoping to start over in a new town. Up until about the time she moved, she lived in Denver, where she thought she had a happy life. That is, until her husband, Mason Lockwood, came home drunk and started being abusive, physically and verbally. Elena had tried getting a restraining order against him the previous times he had done this to her, but he always found a way to get her to take him back.

This time, however, she had decided not to take his bullshit anymore and, through the advice of Alaric Saltzman, a detective who had befriended her, she left Denver, taking her son, Evan, with her. She hated to take the boy away from his old school and friends like that, but she couldn't bear the thought of living in the same town with a man who had done nothing but made their lives miserable, though Elena had it worse.

Evan climbed out of the car shortly after his mother did, placing his backpack on his shoulder. He had been trying to be strong for his mother throughout their whole ordeal, even though he didn't completely understand why his father would act the way he did, having seen how his friends' parents acted toward each other.

He kept quiet as he followed his mother to the entrance of the school and when they got inside, they went to the office to possibly get him enrolled. Elena hoped it wouldn't be too difficult, considering how school began the same time she was planning her escape from Mason. The sectary at the desk, a young woman with short, auburn hair and hazel eyes, saw them coming in and smiled at them.

"May I help you, ma'am?"

Elena nodded. "Yes, I was hoping that I could get my son enrolled. I realize that the school year just started, but we got into town last week and this seemed like a good school, so..."

"No need to explain, ma'am," said the secretary. "I'll give you the necessary forms to fill out. And what grade is your son in this year?"

"Third."

Evan took a seat and waited as Elena filled out the forms that the secretary gave her. They were still at when a man walked in. He looked like he was one of the teachers. When he saw Evan sitting there, he gave the boy a smile.

"Hi."

Evan smiled back. "Hi. I'm new here. My mom is filling out the forms."

"She is? Well, this is a great school," said the man. "My son goes here too. What's your name?"

"Evan."

Before the man could introduce himself, Elena turned around to see who her son was talking to. For a few minutes, she had a hard time getting out her words. Good God, he was gorgeous, with short, black hair that seemed to shine under the lights, blue eyes that she could lose herself in, a body that was practically being hugged the suit he was wearing, and lips any woman would give her right arm for a chance to kiss and nibble.

Finally, she said, "Excuse me, but who are you?"

The man smiled at her. "Oh, forgive me, I didn't get to introduce myself. I'm Damon Salvatore. I'm one of the third grade teachers here. And you are?"

Shit, he had a name that was just as gorgeous as the rest of him, perhaps even more gorgeous. "I'm Elena Gilbert, Evan's mother. It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Salvatore."

Damon smiled again. "There's no need to be formal with me, Elena. Just call me Damon. Everyone on the faculty does. Mr. Salvatore makes me sound old. That and it was my father's name."

"I see," said Elena. "And do your students call you by your first name too?"

"Some do, some don't," said Damon. "But, you know, I take what I can get." He cleared his throat. "Well, I've got going. It was nice meeting you, Elena." He took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles like a gentleman before looking at Evan. "It was nice meeting you too, Evan. Who knows? Maybe you'll be in my class."

Evan smiled. "I'd like that. Are you a good teacher?"

"Oh, I don't want to brag, but yeah, I'm awesome."

That being said, Damon winked at Elena, let go of her hand, and walked out of the office. Elena watched him go and, against her will, stared at his ass. Damn it, what the hell was wrong with her? She just met the guy and already she was having impure thoughts?

_Though, he did just help me take my mind off Mason,_ she thought. _How a man that gorgeous not have a woman in his life? I did hear him say to Evan that he had a son, so he might be married. Or he could be a widower. Oh, who am I kidding? He's out of my league anyway. What would a man like him see in a woman like me?_

_Elsewhere..._

Damon walked into the men's room and the instant he stepped inside, he looked down at himself and saw that he was hard as a rock. Shit, this was just perfect. He had only just met Elena and his cock had responded to her as quickly as a dog would to his owner throwing a ball or a stick. Though, he had to admit, she was beautiful, even more beautiful than most of the mothers. Oh, how he was tempted to run his fingers through her long, dark brown hair, and gaze into her brown eyes. And that body, he could definitely imagine caressing it as he made slow, tender love to her in his bed. To top it all off, her lips were practically begging for someone like him to kiss them.

_Calm yourself, Salvatore,_ his mind scolded him. _Beautiful as she may be, she's also the mother of the boy that could very well be your student. That and you don't know if she's married or not. Maybe she is and her husband is on a business trip somewhere. Either that or she's a widow, or maybe she's divorced._

On that last thought, Damon raised a curious eyebrow. _Was_ Elena married? She said her last name was Gilbert, so if she had gotten a divorce, she could've gone back to using her maiden name. Plus, he didn't see a wedding ring on her finger, so she might very well have gotten a divorce. Either way, he decided to put the thought out of his mind for now. Besides, this wasn't any of his business, so it was best not to get involved.

_**Note: There you go, an update. Damon and Elena have met. Don't worry, I'm going to have them fall in love eventually. For now, I'm pacing myself. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Stranger Things Have Happened," Elena enrolls her son, Evan, in Mystic Falls Elementary School, where she meets Damon Salvatore, her son's potential teacher, and they have an instant attraction.**_

_**Thank you for the great reviews! You guys are awesome!**_

_Downtown Mystic Falls – That Afternoon..._

**E**lena drove through the downtown area of Mystic Falls, taking in the scenery around her. Though, the real reason she was driving around was to possibly take her mind off the scene in the office earlier. True, Damon Salvatore was a charming and attractive man, she wasn't sure if she was ready for another man in her life. After all, she had risked everything to get out of Denver, not only for her sake, but for Evan's protection as well.

Her travels took her to a quaint little store in the center of town known as Mikaelson Art Gallery, where she saw a sign that said **"HELP WANTED"** in big, bold letters.

_Might as well stop in here and see if I can get a job,_ she thought. _After all, I did have an assistant curator job at the Denver Art Museum just before Evan was born. Maybe that's what they're looking for. If I get the job, I can work here while Evan is at school and then pick him up in the afternoon._

Her mind made up, Elena parked her car, got out and walked into the building. Upon entry, she was in awe of the many paintings that were displayed throughout the gallery. _Whoever did these was certainly a gifted artist._

"Good afternoon. May I help you?"

Elena was startled out of her reverie by a voice in front of her and turned to see a heavily pregnant blonde woman standing there. She was quite lovely, and the navy blue dress she was wearing lovingly hugged her belly.

"I think you can," she replied. "You see, I just moved here about a week ago and I saw the sign in the Help Wanted sign in the window. Are you still looking or has the position been filled?"

"We're still looking," said the woman. "My husband and I need an assistant curator. You see, he goes on tour a lot, so if we had someone to be here while he was away, it would help us out a lot." She laughed, having forgotten her manners. "Oh, how silly of me. I didn't introduce myself. I'm Caroline. Caroline Forbes Mikaelson. My husband is Klaus Mikaelson."

"The gallery's namesake?"

Caroline nodded. "That's the one. All of the paintings in the gallery are his personal collection."

"These are all his?" said Elena. "Wow, you must be proud of him, Caroline."

"_Extremely_ proud, actually," said Caroline. "I've stood by my husband through everything. All part of being a good wife." She rubbed her belly. "And he's a great father."

Elena smiled. "I'll bet." Clearing her throat, she added, "Oh, as long as we're introducing ourselves, I might as well tell you who I am before we go off on a tangent. I'm Elena Gilbert. Like I said, I just moved here a week ago."

Before Caroline could answer her, they were approached by a tall man with short, dark blonde hair and greenish blue eyes dressed in a white button down shirt, navy blue blazer, dark blue jeans, and black leather shoes. In addition to that, Elena noticed that unlike Damon, he had stubble on his face.

_This must be Caroline's husband,_ she thought. _Looks handsome enough, though Damon was gorgeous._ She shook her head. _Shit, why am I thinking that? I came here to take my mind off him, not start thinking about him again. Stay calm, Elena._

Caroline smiled and said, "Klaus, this is Elena Gilbert. She's new in town and she stopped in to find out about the assistant curator job."

Klaus looked at Elena and then back at Caroline. "Well, I guess it was a good thing we didn't give up after the lack of responses." He looked at Elena again. "Tell me, Miss Gilbert, do you any prior experience with being an assistant curator?"

Elena nodded. "I worked at the Denver Art Museum."

"Ah, the Mile High City, fantastic," said Klaus. "How long did you work there?"

"The last time I worked there was right before I moved here," said Elena. "My reasons for leaving were personal, and I'd rather not discuss them." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, I think I'd be a great asset to your gallery. Caroline mentioned that you tour around a lot, so you need someone to run the gallery while you're away."

"Yes, my career demands that I tour around the country and even internationally," said Klaus. "In fact, one of my landscapes is hanging in the Hermitage." He smiled and nodded toward the back room. "Follow me. I've been working on a new painting for the past several weeks now."

Caroline watched them walk past her and then said, "Klaus, honey, if you're taking Elena to the back room, I'm going to head out. Rebekah called me earlier and wanted to take me shopping and get some things for the baby."

Klaus nodded. "Go on then, love. I'll see you later."

Caroline smiled and kissed her husband before leaving. Elena smiled when she saw them displaying affection and wished that Mason was more affectionate with her.

Once Caroline walked out, Klaus escorted Elena to the back room of the gallery, where she saw a cloth covering the "new painting" he was working on. It must've been really important to him if he was keeping it covered it up like that.

"Is that your new project?"

Klaus nodded. "It is." He walked over to the cloth. "Would you like to see it?"

Elena nodded as well. "Oh, yeah. I'm kind of curious about it."

Klaus smiled again and removed the cloth, revealing a rather beautiful painting of a beautiful woman in a white dress and the flowers in her blonde hair were white as well. Elena was in awe of it and it definitely looked like Klaus had been working on it for quite a while. In fact, it seemed to be almost finished.

"Klaus, it's beautiful."

"It should be," he replied. "It's Caroline. I've been working on this painting as a birthday gift for her. She hasn't seen it, because I plan on surprising her with it at the party I'm throwing for her this weekend."

"Wow, this is amazing," said Elena. "Caroline is really lucky to have a husband like you, especially a husband with your talent."

"She is," said Klaus. "Though, I'd like to think that I'm the lucky one to have her in my life." He cleared his throat. "Elena, you've got the job."

Elena smiled. "Thank you. My son, Evan, is going to Mystic Falls Elementary School, so I can drop him off in the morning and then pick him up in the afternoon."

"That's interesting that you mentioned that," said Klaus. "My son, Liam, goes there as well. He's in third grade."

Elena nodded. _That means the baby Caroline is carrying in her belly is their second child. _"Maybe our sons could be friends. Evan could use some new friends after he had to leave his old friends behind when we left Denver." She looked toward the clock and saw that it was just about 3:00. _School should be getting out soon._ "Thank you again for giving me the job, Klaus. You won't regret it, I promise."

Klaus smiled. "I know that this is short notice, but would you like to come to Caroline's party this weekend?"

"I don't see why not," said Elena. "Might give me an opportunity to meet your family, as well as everyone else in this town."

"You won't regret this," said Klaus. "You'll have fun."

Elena smiled again and after thanking Klaus again for hiring her, she walked out of the room and out of the gallery, relieved that she had gotten a job that was near enough to the school so that she could pick Evan up in the afternoon.

_**Note: Here you go, an update. Enjoy and stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Stranger Things Have Happened," Elena goes to the Mikaelson Art Gallery, where she gets hired as an assistant curator.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews! You guys are awesome! I got the idea for this next chapter earlier and wanted to use it.**_

_**LET THE MADNESS CONTINUE!**_

_Salvatore Mansion – Later on..._

**D**ante Salvatore pulled the Camaro into the driveway after he came home from school. He was home before Damon and Damian, which he liked, mostly because there was a piece of pie in the fridge that was left over from last night that he wanted to eat before Damian got his little hands on it. It wasn't that he didn't love his nephew, he did, but he didn't like him eating his favorite food before he got the chance to.

Dante climbed out of the car and approached the front door and was surprised to see Stefan standing there. That was weird, he didn't remember Damon mentioning that he'd be visiting today.

Stefan saw the youngest Salvatore brother approaching him and smiled at him."Hey, Dante."

Dante smiled as well, even if his brother's presence here was a bit puzzling. "Hey, Stef. What brings you here? I don't remember Damon saying that you'd be coming by today."

"I actually didn't tell him I was coming," said Stefan. "Speaking of our exalted big brother, where is he?"

"He's not back from work yet," said Dante. "I kind of beat him here." Curiously, he added, "But, really, Stefan, what brings you here? Did you and Rebekah have a fight?"

"She has been a little irritable lately," said Stefan. "Though, I haven't really spoken to her since she called me this afternoon. She told me that she was out with Caroline, probably buying her some things for the baby."

"Do you think maybe she was irritable because she wants what Caroline has?"

Stefan was about to answer Dante's question when he saw Damon's sleek black Porsche pulling up and a few beats later, he saw Damon and Damian coming toward the front door. Damon raised a curious eyebrow when he saw Stefan. Apparently, he was just as baffled about his presence as Dante was.

"Hey, Stefan," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"That question was asked and answered, Damon," said Dante. "He said that he's here because Rebekah was crabby."

"That's nothing new," said Damon. "Bex has always had a bit of a problem with her temper." He sighed. "Well, how about we go inside and continue this conversation?"

Stefan nodded and Damon used his key to open the door and the Salvatore brothers went into the mansion, followed by Damian. Once they were inside, they went to the kitchen, where Damon put his briefcase down and Dante went to the fridge to take the leftover pie.

Damon watched this and then looked back at Stefan. "Now, tell me, brother, what's the real reason you came here?"

"It is partially about Rebekah," said Stefan. "She hasn't exactly been in the best of moods. Plus, she hasn't been feeling well the last several months."

Damon nodded and, keeping his gaze on Stefan, he said to Dante and Damian, "Guys, go upstairs and do your homework. This is a conversation that isn't suitable for children."

"Children?" said Dante. "Damon, I'm old enough. Why should I have to leave? Can't I listen to this too? _Damian_ can leave because he's too young, but _I'm_ not too young to know that you and Stefan are talking about."

"You may think you're old enough, Dante, but I want you to go upstairs." He turned toward them. "Now."

Dante sighed and then led Damian upstairs, disappointed that his brothers weren't going to include him in their conversation even though he was old enough. Once they were on the top flight, Dante turned back toward the rail so that he could listen in on what was being said. Damian saw what he was doing and immediately went over to him.

"Dante, what are you doing?" he said. "Dad said he didn't want us listening to this."

"Like that's going to stop us," said Dante. "Aren't you curious to know what they're talking about down there?" He saw Damian's hesitation. "Come on, Damian, what harm could it do? Who knows?/ Maybe we'll find out some things."

Damian raised an eyebrow, still not sure why they were doing this. However, his curiosity soon won out and he joined Dante by the rail.

_Downstairs..._

Unaware that anyone was listening, Damon turned back to Stefan. "You say that Rebekah hasn't been feeling well the last several months? Has she been to the doctor?"

"Yeah, she went the other day," said Stefan. "When I asked her what she found out, I didn't get a verbal reply, just a playful smile. Not sure what it was, I asked her again. It was when I asked her a second time that I got my answer. She asked me if I remembered the celebration we had when I got my raise at work. I said yes and asked why she brought that up. She then went over to me, kissed me, and told me that she was pregnant."

Damon was about to say something when he heard what sounded like a "YES!" coming from upstairs. He didn't have to guess who was making that sound because he already knew. Damn it, Dante and Damian were listening when they weren't supposed to. Why was that not surprising?

"Damian, Dante, get away from the railing," he called. "When I count to three, you'd better in your rooms. 1...2..."

That seemed to work, because he then heard doors being opened and closed. Honestly, did those two have to be so nosy?

"I swear to God, Stefan, I don't know how I put up with those two rascals."

Stefan smiled. "You're a great father and a wonderful brother, Damon. I know I don't say it enough, but you are. Dante and Damian look up to you." He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Well, now that we discussed my day, how was yours?"

Grateful for the change in subject, Damon smiled. "Oh, my day was great. In fact, it was better than great. Today, I met the most beautiful woman that has ever walked into this town. Her name is Elena Gilbert and her son, Evan, is my new student. Same grade as Damian and just as smart, if not smarter. I didn't dare tell Damian, of course, because you know how super competitive that kid is."

Stefan nodded. "Enough about the kid, though, what about Elena? What's her story?"

"I don't know, I didn't ask," said Damon. "The only thing I do know is that she just moved to Mystic Falls last week." He poured himself a glass of bourbon and gulped it down. "Stefan, I can't stop thinking about her. I barely know her and yet, I find her beguiling. Something about her is...I know, drawing me to her."

"Is she married?"

"I don't know, I didn't see a wedding ring on her finger," said Damon. "She may have gotten a divorce, because Gilbert is most likely her maiden name and she reverted back to it after she divorced her husband, whoever that was." He ran a hand through his hair. "I have to know more about her, Stefan. This may be the woman I saw in my dreams the other night."

"You had a dream about her?" said Stefan. "Damon, you're being ridiculous."

"You doubt me, brother?" said Damon. "Well, I'll prove it to you. Caroline's birthday party is this weekend, right? Well, if Elena had received an invitation, chances are I'll run into her there and that's when I'll seize the opportunity to talk to her in a more private setting."

Stefan nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"You going to the party too?"

"I am," said Stefan. "It's mandatory because I became part of the Mikaelson family after I married Rebekah." He sighed. "Well, Damon, I hope everything works out for you. I know how difficult things were after you and Rose got divorced."

"That was a loveless marriage," said Damon. "Damn bitch was after my money, and she cheated on me with men she picked up from bars, the most recent being a waste of space known as Trevor Rollins." He refilled his glass. "But, all that is in the past. I have met the woman that is to be my future."

_**Note: Here you go, guys, another update. Next chapter shall be the party, I promise. Until then, stay tuned.**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Stranger Things Have Happened," Stefan stops by and tells Damon that Rebekah is pregnant, after which Damon tells him about Elena and how he is determined to see her again.**_

_**Thank you for the wonderful reviews! You guys rock! No spoilers, except the action takes place on Saturday night.**_

_Mikaelson Mansion – Saturday Night..._

**T**he party at the Mikaelson mansion was in full swing when Elena walked in. She was wearing a black dress with a slit on the side because Klaus told her it was a formal party. At the same time, though, she hoped she wasn't upstaging the guest of honor. Evan followed her in, carrying his overnight bag. Earlier in the week, Liam had invited him to the slumber party that was being held the same night as his mother's birthday party. Elena had been reluctant to let her son come with her, but after Evan told her that Liam's uncle, Elijah, was going to be supervising, she gave in.

Evan smiled at his mother after they walked in. " You look pretty tonight, Mom."

Elena returned the boy's smile. "Thank you, Evan." She kissed his cheek. "I'm going to go mingle, so why don't you go find Liam?" Before she let her son go, she added, "Have fun and be a good boy for Liam's uncle, okay? Remember, you're the guest."

Evan nodded. "I'll be good." He hugged her. "I love you, Mom."

Hearing him say that made Elena smile even more. At least he was still at the age where she could hug and kiss him in public, which was a good thing. _Might as well enjoy it while it lasts, because pretty soon, he's going to be a teenager and won't allow me to show affection toward him in front of his friends._

Then, after she let Evan go upstairs to find Liam, Elena walked around, enjoying the décor of the mansion and envying Caroline slightly for having a husband who was able to afford a place like this with the money he made off of his paintings.

After she had looked at the paintings for a few minutes, she proceeded over to the refreshment table, where she helped herself to a couple of cocktail franks and a glass of champagne, taking another look around.

"I don't blame you for scoping the place out. I mean, it is pretty awesome."

A sudden voice next to her made Elena jump slightly and turned to see that she had company. He was obviously a kid, probably around sixteen or seventeen at the oldest, and she had to admit, he was kind of cute, though definitely not her type.

"I'm sorry," she said after finding her voice. "I didn't realize that anyone else was over here."

"No, don't apologize, it's cool. I was just hanging out here." The kid smiled at her. "By the way, I'm Dante. Dante Salvatore."

Elena blinked when he introduced himself. _Did he just say his last name was Salvatore? No, he couldn't be related to Damon. I mean, he could just have the same last name and not be related._

"Nice to meet you, Dante. I'm Elena Gilbert." She gave him a curious look. "You...wouldn't happened to be related to _Damon_ Salvatore by any chance, would you?"

Dante smiled and was about to answer her when Damon himself wandered over. He had seen Elena come in and was following her without her knowledge. Of course, he hadn't expected Dante to get to her before he did. It wasn't that he saw his brother as a threat, since Dante already had his eye on Melissa Drexler, it was just that he was hoping to find Elena alone.

"Good evening, Elena," he said. "Fancy meeting you here."

Elena smiled. "I could say the same about you, Damon."

Damon then admired her dress. "Wow, you look beautiful tonight. And here I thought that Caroline was going to be the belle of the ball, being the guest of honor and everything?" He looked at Dante. "I can take it from here, Dante. Why don't you go see if Elijah needs any help with the boys?"

"Oh, come on," said Dante. "I won't interfere with anything, I promise."

Damon gave the boy a stern look. "Just do it, okay?"

Dante wanted to protest further, but decided against it and walked away, leaving Damon and Elena alone. Once Dante was gone, Damon offered Elena his arm, which she gladly took, and he escorted her out to the garden.

As they walked through the grounds, Elena was in awe of the sights, especially the fountains. Finally, she cleared her throat, her curiosity obviously getting the better of her.

"Is Dante your son?"

Damon laughed slightly at her question. "You know, you're not the first one to ask me that, and you won't be the last either. No, Dante is my brother. My _baby_ brother. I've been raising him since my parents died two years ago. _Damian_ is my son. The two of them get mistaken for brothers all the time because of the differences in their ages."

"Wow," said Elena. "That's...amazing. Raising a teenager and an eight-year-old can't be easy."

"Yeah, but it's worth it," said Damon. "Dante is a great kid and I couldn't imagine my life without him. He's in his junior year at Mystic Falls High School, and he's on the Honor Roll." He cleared his throat. "So, Elena, I've been telling you about me, but I've yet to know about you."

Elena bit her lip. "Well, I'm originally from Denver."

"Denver, huh?" said Damon. "I've visited there a couple of times. It's a great place to raise a family."

"Yeah, it is," said Elena. "I loved it there. My brother, Jeremy, still lives there with his wife, Anna."

"Why did you decide to leave?" said Damon. "I mean, if you have family in Denver, why leave them to live in Mystic Falls?"

Elena hesitated. Did she dare tell him about Mason? She didn't want Damon to get the wrong impression of her. "Do you really want to know? It's not exactly the prettiest story you'll ever hear."

"Yes, I do," said Damon. "Elena, I want to know more about you. The only thing I really know is that you're Evan's mother." He smiled at her. "_And_ that you're incredibly beautiful."

Elena laughed slightly at his remark, but then cleared her throat. "Okay, but I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone about this." She saw that he was about to say something, but shushed him. "Damon, please, this is serious. A matter of life and death, even."

"I promise," said Damon. "Nothing you tell me will leave this spot. Your secret is safe with me."

Elena took a deep breath. "Well, the reason I left Denver has to do with my husband, Mason. In the beginning, we were happy. He'd tell me he loved me, bring me flowers, and even take me out to dinner, dancing, and to the movies. Then, one night, just a few months after we were married, he raped me. Then, about two, maybe three weeks later, I find out that I'm pregnant with Evan. Mason was furious and accused me of sleeping with another man. He wouldn't even acknowledge that Evan was his."

Damon listened to this and found it difficult not to hate Mason for the shit Elena was put through. He was tempted to catch the next flight out to Denver, track the son of a bitch down, and beat the shit out of him for what he did.

After an uneasy silence, Elena continued, "The abuse went on for another eight years. Mason never laid a hand on Evan, thank God, but I didn't deserve what he was doing to me. I tried to get several restraining orders, but Mason always found a way to worm his way back, try to convince me that he would never do it again. I tried not to fall for it, but I did and the abuse would start again after that."

"What finally happened?" Damon knew that he was pushing it here, but he needed to know.

"A detective named Alaric Saltzman, befriended me and helped me plan my escape," said Elena. "I then took Evan and left in the middle of the night, hoping that we had seen the last of that monster. There is no way in hell that I would allow my baby to be around him."

Damon noticed that after she was crying after she finished speaking, so he hugged her to him, rubbing her back consolingly and running his fingers through her hair. "Shhhh. It's all right now, Elena. You're safe. He won't hurt you again. I won't let him."

Sobbing, Elena said, "No, Damon, I can't let you take Mason on. He's dangerous."

Damon stepped back and took her face in his hands, wiping her tears. "So am I. I'm a black belt in karate, and I'll kick the living shit out of that bastard for the pain and suffering you went through."

Elena was about to say something else, but didn't get to because she felt Damon's lips touch hers in a soft yet tender kiss. She had to admit, she wasn't expecting him to kiss her, but after the initial shock wore off, she returned his kiss and moaned against his mouth as their tongues collided. Even though she barely knew Damon, she somehow felt comfortable with him. More than that, she felt safe.

_**Note: Yeah, I couldn't think of anything else to put here, so I'll end Chapter 5 here. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Stranger Things Have Happened," Damon and Elena meet up at Caroline's birthday party, where Elena tells him why she came to Mystic Falls. Then, after Damon vows to protect her from Mason, they share a steamy kiss in the garden.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews! I got the idea for this next chapter while watching TV (funny what your mind does while you're channel surfing). No spoilers, just read and you'll find out.**_

_Salvatore Mansion – Next Day..._

**E**lena groaned as she woke up the next morning. As her vision cleared, she found herself in a strange bed and in a strange house. That was weird, because the last place she remembered being was the Mikaelson mansion. She quickly sat up in the bed and saw that she was wearing a black V-neck T-shirt that looked like it was a little big for her.

Before she could figure out how she wound up here, she felt a wave of nausea hit her and ran to the adjacent bathroom, where she vomited into the toilet. Great, not only she was in a strange house, but she was experiencing a hangover on top of it. Elena slowly got to her feet, flushed the toilet, and used some mouth wash to get rid of the smell of vomit from her breath. Once done, she left the room to see if she could solve the mystery of where she was and how she got here. No sooner did she get to out into the hall than she smelled something delicious cooking downstairs, even if she was still kind of sick to her stomach.

However, she couldn't let that deter her from her investigation, so she went downstairs and when she got to the kitchen, she saw Damon by the stove. Ah, so this was his place then. She was about to speak, but he beat her to it.

"Morning."

"Hey," she replied. "How did I end up at your place?"

"I invited you over for drinks," said Damon. "You had about a bit too much and, not about to let you go home drunk, I thought it was best that you spent the night."

Elena blinked. She spent the night here? _Guess that explains the T-shirt._ "Damon, did we..."

"No," said Damon. "I was a complete gentleman. I let you have my room and I slept in one of the guest rooms. I would never take advantage of a woman when she's drunk."

"Thank you."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"For listening to my story," said Elena. "For being so sweet to me." She smiled. "You know, you're a great kisser. I swear, I must've had a dream about it." Her smile faded. "Your wife isn't home, is she? I don't want to stick around if she is."

"Relax, my wife doesn't live here anymore," said Damon. "I'm divorced."

Elena sighed in relief at his reply. At least she didn't have to worry about being confronted by a jealous wife. "Thank God. The last thing I really wanted was some bitch who thinks I'm here to take you away from her or something."

"Yeah, well, Rose never loved me," said Damon. "She only married me because I was rich and she would constantly cheat on me with men she would pick up at bars. It stopped briefly when she was pregnant. Then, shortly after Damian was born, she went back to her cheating ways. That's when I decided that enough was enough and divorced her ass. No way in hell I was going to expose my son to that kind of behavior." He sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's okay," said Elena. "I told you my story last night and now, I know yours." She took a whiff of what was cooking. "That smells good. What are you cooking?"

"Pancakes and bacon."

"The _Fifty Shades of Grey_ breakfast." She saw the look he gave her. "Oh, come on, pancakes and bacon. That's what Ana cooked after she and Christian slept together, and it was even what she ate after Christian saved her from that bastard, Jose. Don't tell me you never read that series."

"I have," said Damon. "Rebekah let me borrow each of the books after she finished them, and although I skipped over a few parts, it wasn't that bad. Though, I do agree with you about Jose being a bastard. At least _we_ kissed when you were sober." He sighed. "How did we get on this subject?"

"You said you were making pancakes and bacon."

Damon was about to answer her when Dante came wandering in, having smelled what his brother was cooking as well. He noticed Elena and smiled at her.

"Hey, Elena," he said. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Morning, Dante," she replied. "What time did you get in last night?"

"A little after 11:00," said Dante. "I was kind of having trouble staying awake and Elijah told me to go home, that he had a handle on things." He also noticed the shirt Elena was wearing. "Why are you wearing Damon's shirt?" His eyes widened. "Holy shit, did you guys..."

Damon shook his head. "No, Dante, we didn't sleep together. I invited Elena over for drinks and she had a little too much, so I insisted that she spend the night. She's wearing my shirt because I let her use it as a nightshirt."

"Oh, come on, Damon, don't lie," said Dante. "I know you're totally into her. I mean, look at her, she's hot."

"Dante Vincent Salvatore, stop talking before you embarrass yourself," said Damon. "Yes, Elena, is beautiful. Yes, I happen to like her. Yes, I kissed her last night at the party. But, I'm not looking to rush into anything."

"Okay, fine, I'll drop it." Dante looked at Elena. "I'm sorry if I said or did anything to make you feel uncomfortable."

"It's okay, Dante, I'm not mad," said Elena. "I'm not looking to rush into anything either. I barely know Damon, even though I learned a few things about him before you came in." She smiled. "Now, how about we have a nice breakfast? Those pancakes smell heavenly."

"Are you sure?" said Damon. "I heard you throwing up in the bathroom. I don't want you having anything heavy. How about some juice and toast?"

Elena bit her lip. He was right, she couldn't have anything heavy after just thrown up. "All right, juice and toast for me." She looked at Dante again. "Was Evan behaving himself, Dante? I told him to mind his manners."

"Yeah, he was good," said Dante. "I got to meet him and from what I saw, he's a cool kid. Liam and Damian seem to like him, and I like him too."

Elena nodded. She liked the fact that Evan had two new friends to hang out with. _At least he'll be able to take his mind off all the shit we went through before we came here,_ she thought. _I know that being with Damon helped me. And I'm glad that he's keeping my secret so far. I was afraid that he was going to spill the beans to Dante. Thank God nothing was said._

_**Note: Chapter 6 is here! **_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Stranger Things Have Happened," Elena wakes up in the Salvatore mansion, having gotten drunk and Damon suggested that she spend the night.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews, guys! I had an idea in mind for this chapter for a while now and never got around to actually writing it. Better late than never, right?**_

_**ON WITH THE STORY!**_

_Mikaelson Art Gallery – 2 Weeks Later..._

**I**t was unusually slow in the gallery, but Elena didn't really seem to mind, because she was able to walk around and admire the paintings that Klaus had on display. She had to admit, they were really impressive, and she wasn't just thinking that as an employee. One particular piece caught her attention and she stopped walking to look at it. It was an abstract and it sort of reminded her of a Picasso painting that had been on display at the Denver Art Museum.

"Yeah, Klaus' paintings are very addictive."

The familiar velvety voice next to her startled Elena slightly and when she looked over, she saw...

"Damon, you scared the shit out of me. What are you doing here? It's the middle of the day. Shouldn't you be at school right now?"

Damon placed his index finger to his lips. "I'm playing hooky." He saw the look on her face. "Don't worry, I have somebody covering for me. Evan and his classmates are in good hands."

"Still, you should've given me a little more warning," said Elena. "You could've given me a heart attack. Do you _really_ want that to happen? I'm sure Evan wouldn't find it funny that his mother was in the hospital because his teacher gave her a heart attack."

"You're right, I shouldn't have startled you," said Damon. "I'm sorry." He cleared his throat. "So, you're working here, huh? It was about time Klaus hired an assistant curator. Not that Caroline isn't good at what she does, but she really shouldn't be walking around in her condition."

"Yeah, this job is the best thing that ever happened to me," said Elena. "I can work while Evan is in school and then, when I get done in the afternoon, I can pick him up." She smiled. "I, uh, never thanked you for letting me stay at your place two weeks ago."

"There's no need to thank me, Elena," said Damon. "Knowing that I prevented you from driving home drunk that night is all the thanks I need."

It was quiet between them for a few minutes as they admired the paintings. Then, Elena decided to speak, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"So, are you really here because you're playing hooky, or did you need an excuse to see me again?"

"Would you believe me if I told you it was the second reason?"

Elena shook her head. "Why am I not surprised? You must have quite a little crush on me if you stooped to sneaking out of school just to come to my place of employment. It's as if you can't go a day without seeing me at least once."

"Guilty as charged," said Damon. "Elena, you have no idea the effect you have on me, and _continue_ to have on me." He slowly reached his hand out and touched her cheek. "The moment I saw you, I just...couldn't help myself."

Elena shivered at his touch. "Damon, you shouldn't be doing this."

"Why? If this is because of Mason, I already told you that I'm not afraid of him," said Damon. "I meant it when I said that I'm a black belt in karate and that I'd kick the living shit out of him for what he did to you. You deserve better than that. Hell, _Evan_ deserves better than that."

Elena never got to protest because Damon gently took her arms and pulled her to him, kissing her passionately and urgently. Elena returned his kiss, bringing her hands up to caress his face as the kiss deepened. Her heart pounded and her blood burst into flame as they continued to kiss. A few minutes passed before they stepped back, breaking the kiss, blue eyes meeting brown. Finally, Elena spoke first, breaking the uneasy silence between them.

"Damon, I..."

Damon placed his index finger on her lips. "Shhh. Don't say anything. Just let this all sink in." He then gently ran his thumb across her bottom lip. "You have my word that the minute Mason sets foot in this town, it'll be the last time he sees daylight. Caroline's mother is the sheriff, and also a friend of mine. All I have to do is call her and she'll have Mason arrested faster than he can blink."

Elena listened to him speak. Although she was afraid for him, she couldn't deny what she was feeling for him in that moment. "What time is it?"

Damon looked at his watch. "It's just about 11:00. Why?"

"Let's go somewhere we can be alone," she replied. "I mean, _really_ alone."

Damon smiled. "We could go to the Salvatore mansion. If we leave now, we can get back in time to pick up Evan and Damian from school. Or I could call Dante and have _him_ pick them up."

"I don't want Evan to be confused or traumatized if he sees us in bathrobes."

"Then, we'll have to dress as soon as we hear Dante pulling into the driveway."

Elena nodded. "Okay, let's go."

Damon smiled and took her hand, leading her out of the gallery and to the Porsche. He helped her into the passenger side and once she was in, he dialed Dante's number, hoping he could catch him before his next class. A few rings later, he got his brother on the other end. "Damon?"

"Hey, Dante," he replied. "Listen, could you do me a favor and pick Damian up from school today?"

"Sure," said Dante. "Why? What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Damon. "I just...have something really important I need to do."

"Come on, Damon, you don't have to lie," said Dante. "I'm seventeen, not seven. You're with _Elena_, aren't you? I _knew_ that you couldn't resist her, you sly dog."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Okay, yes, I'm with Elena. Could you also pick her son up as well? You know, the kid you looked after at Caroline's party?"

"Oh, you mean Evan? Sure, I can do that," said Dante. "Look, don't worry about it, I've got everything under control. You and Elena have fun."

Before Damon could say anything else, Dante hung up. Elena saw him put his phone away and waited until he got into the car before she said, "How did it go with Dante?"

"He said he'd pick the boys up from school," he replied. "I tried to cover up the fact that I'm with you, but apparently, that sort of thing doesn't work on a seventeen-year-old. I guess I forgot that at that age, they've figured out the difference between a lie and the truth."

"Well, don't worry about it too much," said Elena. "Let's just go to the mansion and have ourselves some fun, okay?" She kissed his cheek. "Maybe we can even squeeze in some time in that tub in your bathroom."

Damon smiled at her suggestion and, without a word, started the engine and they drove off toward the Salvatore mansion.

_Salvatore Mansion – Half an Hour Later..._

Damon practically flew into his room, pulling Elena in with him. He then closed the door and locked it for privacy before pushing her up against the frame and kissing her hotly, running his hands up and down her small body. Elena returned his kiss and moaned against his mouth as she took off his jacket and undid the buttons of shirt, shivering as her fingers made contact with his chest.

Damon groaned as he felt what Elena was doing and slipped his hands under her skirt, pulling out her blouse and undoing the buttons, tossing it to the floor once he got the last button undone, Elena doing the same with his shirt. He then reached behind her and undid the clasp of her bra, tossing it to the floor by her discarded blouse.

Once he did that, he leaned down and kissed her breasts as he caressed them, picking one of them up and placing his lips over the tender nipple, gently sucking on it. Elena arched her back and panted, letting out a scream of pleasure before pushing him toward the bed, following him onto the cool sheets and kissing his neck, nibbling the skin with her teeth, earning her a muffled groan. Damon then rolled over so that he was on top, grabbing her wrists and holding them above her head with one hand and exploring her body with the other, trailing kisses across her skin. When he reached her belly button, he playfully licked it, earning him a moan from her.

Smirking, Damon then pulled her skirt down her legs, along with her stockings, kissing and caressing her as he went down. "You're so beautiful."

"Damon, please..."

He looked up from what he was doing. "Please what, baby? Tell me."

"Don't tease me," she replied. "Give me everything."

"I intend to, Elena," said Damon. "You're going to get everything I have to offer."

That being said, he removed her skirt, stockings and panties. Then, he moved up to kiss her, releasing her wrists so that she could touch him. Elena moved her hands down to his belt, loosening it and then undoing the button and zipper of his pants, pulling them down along with his underwear, feeling just how hard his erection was against her hand.

Rolling over so that she was on top, Elena guided him into her and began to gyrate her hips against him, slow at first so that she could get used to him and then gradually picked up speed. Damon grabbed her hips and began to thrust in time with her gyrations, feeling the heat rising between them as they went. Elena felt herself getting close to the edge, throwing her head back and letting out a scream so loud that she was afraid that her vocal chords would shatter.

Damon sat up slowly, keeping up the thrusts and kissed her throat, feeling the vibrations against his lips before letting out a scream of his own. Shit, what passion this woman possessed. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that he was falling head over heels in love with her. Of course, that wasn't surprising, considering the fact that she had beguiled him from the moment their eyes met two weeks ago.

_Several Hours Later..._

Elena felt the sweat cascading down her face as she and Damon snuggled under the sheets of the bed. They had spent the last several hours in a state of pure ecstasy and it had been the best experience of their lives. In fact, for the first time since she moved to Mystic Falls, Elena actually had the best sex imaginable, and she owed it all to Damon.

"That was amazing."

Damon smiled and kissed her forehead. "I agree. Makes me glad I played hooky today."

His reply made her laugh slightly. "You are so bad."

"Only when it comes to you." He kissed her forehead again. "I don't think I want to leave this bed. It feels so good with you in it. And I'm not just saying that, I mean it." He placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Elena. I know that we haven't known each other very long, but I feel like I've known you forever."

Elena blinked. "Damon, that's so sweet. I...I really don't know what to say to that."

"Don't say anything right now," said Damon. "I'm not pressuring you into saying the words back to me. There's no rush. You can say it when you're ready."

_**Note: Thought I'd throw in some Delena smut to make up for the lack of updates. Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


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